Last Updated on March 4, 2023 by admin
There are several causes of fire and water damage, but unfortunately, it’s hard to remember all of them, especially the most uncommon ones. Although you can’t fully control natural disasters from damaging your home, you can always prevent further structural damage to your home. As a responsible homeowner, it’s always important to always inspect your house for signs of fire and water damage and address problems that even look “harmless” at first glance.
When you neglect water and fire damage, you’d experience grave problems and only notice them when they’re already too complicated to be handled by you alone. Such problems you might encounter include mold buildup and costly repairs depending on the structural damages. To prevent these problems in the future, you need to know why they happen in the first place. If you haven’t already, get familiar with these 5 uncommon causes of fire and water damage.
1. Dishwashers with faulty wiring
Dishwashers help us a ton of load in our chores, but what if it becomes the other way around? One of the reasons why appliances malfunction or even become a fire hazard is faulty wiring. But how common do you get a dishwasher with faulty wiring? In fact, 2.5 million GE dishwashers were recalled in May 2007 due to overheated wiring. Now imagine if your house has one of those faulty units. To avoid this, make sure your dishwasher is properly used and well maintained, and check for any damage or fraying on the electrical cords.
2. Dust
If there’s one thing that you least consider a fire hazard is dust. They’re just too small and hard to notice. But once they create an empire of dust bunnies, it becomes a potential cause of the fire. Once they catch a spark from any burning materials (including your appliances), any flammable liquids, documents, and furniture nearby will most like be affected as well. So clean your house regularly. Batter yet, invest in a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to make sure even the tiniest dust gets filtered out.
Determine the areas where dust bunnies usually hide:
- Under the bed
- Desks
- Behind refrigerators
- Cabinets
- Above cupboards
- Behind/under the couch
3. Water Floods
You might think this next item is too obvious. Of course, flood is easily a common cause of water damage. Drain the water, mop the floor, and that’s it, right? But have you thought of what happens when you don’t do something about flood water trapped under your floor or within your walls? Remember that moisture leads to mold growth. Other than that, it also stores bacteria and contaminants that could easily compromise your health.
After the flood water has already subsided, it is important to keep the affected areas dry. Check out The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) instructions on what you should do after a flood. Do you need help in dealing with flood damage in Kansas City? Get the best mitigation and restoration services near you.
4. Blocked gutters
Aside from floods and busted pipes, blocked gutters are also a common culprit for water damage. Once your gutter is obstructed, water is unable to flow freely, which finds its way elsewhere in certain parts of your house where it shouldn’t be. Any water infiltration could lead to a nasty mold buildup as long as it’s not addressed for more than 48 hours (the maximum amount of time needed until molds start to grow). When things get out of hand, leave the job to an experienced mitigation service professional. During the process, a certified EMS serviceman will inspect the affected area and make sure mold contaminants are contained to prevent any mold growth from recurring in the future.
5. Water heaters
With the same concept as faulty appliances and recalled dishwashers, damaged water heaters are also a fire hazard. Even worse, the leaking water can electrocute anybody that’s in contact with it. Note that this only happens when the unit is poorly designed, not properly used and maintained, and neglected for a long time. You might think electric water heaters are safer than gas water heaters since they don’t require flammable liquids. But once they overheat, it can possibly create a fire that spreads across the ceiling or fire hazards nearby.
Call up a professional
Before you do things by yourself, assess the severity of the problem first. Most likely, water and fire damages require experience and expertise before you deal with them directly. Any damage caused by a natural disaster can be both overwhelming and taxing, especially if you’re required to address it right away after an unfortunate event. There’s no shame in asking for professional assistance. Aside from getting better service, you can also ask for advice and recommendations from your EMS serviceman. Be a responsible homeowner and get the best emergency mitigation service for your beloved home.
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